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The Old Mill, Mill Road, Netheravon, Salisbury, SP4 9QB, England
Description
The Old Mill is in the most idyllic setting imaginable on the bends of the River Avon. The Old Mill started life in 1914 as an electricity generator for the Netheravon Airfield using waterpower from the River Avon.
In 1983 Tony and Robinetta Bunce bought the old power station from the MOD and converted in into a brewery. They started brewing in 1984. Had it not been for the Bunces, we probably would not have been brewing at The Old Mill today.
In 1993 I, Danish Master Brewer Stig Anker Andersen, my wife Anna Marie Andersen and our 7 months old daughter Amalie uprooted from our native Denmark. We took the jump into the deep end and bought the brewery and embarked on the long, challenging road of brewing award-winning, handcrafted English beers. Of course, we didn’t go it alone – without our loyal customers and dedicated team, we would never have managed to be where we are today, still running one of Wiltshire’s oldest micro-breweries.
Our brew plant is arranged so that brewing ingredients and wort mostly move downwards, using gravity as in early tower breweries. One pump only is used in the entire brewing process for transferring the hot wort through a plate cooler prior to fermentation.
Each beer is brewed to its own recipe using the traditional infusion mash method and with only the finest quality malt and whole hops and Stonehenge Spring Water as ingredients. After fermentation the beer is run off into carefully sterilised stainless steel casks where the final conditioning takes place.
Our beers are allowed to condition naturally in the cask and call for a certain care in handling and dispense; a first class pint owes much to skill in the cellar and pride in the pub.
In 1983 Tony and Robinetta Bunce bought the old power station from the MOD and converted in into a brewery. They started brewing in 1984. Had it not been for the Bunces, we probably would not have been brewing at The Old Mill today.
In 1993 I, Danish Master Brewer Stig Anker Andersen, my wife Anna Marie Andersen and our 7 months old daughter Amalie uprooted from our native Denmark. We took the jump into the deep end and bought the brewery and embarked on the long, challenging road of brewing award-winning, handcrafted English beers. Of course, we didn’t go it alone – without our loyal customers and dedicated team, we would never have managed to be where we are today, still running one of Wiltshire’s oldest micro-breweries.
Our brew plant is arranged so that brewing ingredients and wort mostly move downwards, using gravity as in early tower breweries. One pump only is used in the entire brewing process for transferring the hot wort through a plate cooler prior to fermentation.
Each beer is brewed to its own recipe using the traditional infusion mash method and with only the finest quality malt and whole hops and Stonehenge Spring Water as ingredients. After fermentation the beer is run off into carefully sterilised stainless steel casks where the final conditioning takes place.
Our beers are allowed to condition naturally in the cask and call for a certain care in handling and dispense; a first class pint owes much to skill in the cellar and pride in the pub.
6.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Dragon Inn, Birmingham. Poured a clear green colour with a mostly lasting frothy white head. The aroma is malty, light herbal. The flavour is moderate bitter, with a smooth, somewhat fresh, herbal, light citrus hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Cask
at
Dragon Inn
on 29 Apr 2026
at 10:12
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 6
Tried
from Cask
at
Cafe Metro
on 21 Mar 2026
at 17:38
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Cask at the Craven Arms, Birmingham on 12th December 2025. Deep coppery brown with shallow, yellowy white foam and full lacing. Nutty malts make for an inviting aroma. Leafy hop notes, subtle berry fruits and a continued presence of nutty malts in-mouth. Fruity, malty finish. Smooth mouthfeel and a light body. Very pleasant.
Tried
from Cask
at
Craven Arms
on 12 Dec 2025
at 17:28
8/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
500 ml bottle from Stonehenge, Salisbury, England. Pours a clear orange-bronze color with a thick khaki head and excellent retention. Very good lacing. Light caramel and light bitter aroma. The taste follows the nose, with even lighter caramel notes and a lightly bitter finish. Smooth and clean. I‘m not getting any of the fruity nose. A decent beer. At least these best bitters in bottles taste better than the tap offerings in England. Medium body. Medium-light carbonation. Light bitterness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2025
at 23:17
6.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Old rating from 25-01-15 - 500ml bottle brought from Stonehenge by friends moving to Jersey, pours dark amber with a white head. Aromas & tastes of caramel, biscuit, fruits, flora, toffee & malt. Medium body. Light bitter finish. Very enjoyable
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jun 2025
at 13:29
6.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Sights & Swills Summer Holiday Beer#14. POOLE. Found at the Poole Arms on the harbour waterfront in the town. A really nice traditional venue with standing room only when I entered, but its five cask ales selection are all regulars'. A dark clear copper bitter infused with some nice caramels.
Tried
from Cask
on 07 Jun 2025
at 18:45
6.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Tried
from Cask
at
The Barrel Vault
on 14 May 2025
at 08:53
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Barrel Vaults, St Pancras, 14/05/2025.
Deep amber to chestnut brown topped with a beige head.
Nose is dried fruit esters, brown bread, biscuit, herb.
Taste comprises fruit slice, raisins, sultanas, toffee.
Medium body, soft carbonation, semi drying close.
Not bad.
Deep amber to chestnut brown topped with a beige head.
Nose is dried fruit esters, brown bread, biscuit, herb.
Taste comprises fruit slice, raisins, sultanas, toffee.
Medium body, soft carbonation, semi drying close.
Not bad.
Tried
on 14 May 2025
at 08:37
6.3/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 5.5
Flavor 5.5
Texture 7
Overall 6
Cask at the Magnet, Broadstairs, 19/03/2025.
Ketchup rake ... recall ticking this for the first time when I lived in Rugby mid noughties.
Lime green topped with a white crown.
Nose is toasted grains, dull fruit, stale bread, biscuit.
Taste comprises biscuit, hedgerow, straw, light malts.
Medium bodied, soft carbonation, semi drying close.
A Passable bitter that you want to taste of lime Opal Fruits!
Ketchup rake ... recall ticking this for the first time when I lived in Rugby mid noughties.
Lime green topped with a white crown.
Nose is toasted grains, dull fruit, stale bread, biscuit.
Taste comprises biscuit, hedgerow, straw, light malts.
Medium bodied, soft carbonation, semi drying close.
A Passable bitter that you want to taste of lime Opal Fruits!
Tried
on 19 Mar 2025
at 15:27
7.6/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 6
Flavor 9
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Cask at Bird in Hand, Stafford. Pours almost black with a small foamy cream head. There’s roasted malts and autumn fruits in the aroma. In the mouth it is quite sweet but with a little underlying sharpness. Flavour has roasted malts, dark fruits and smokey ash. Hints of several fruits come through later – cherries, plums, blackberries. Finish is fruity and slightly dry. This is decent.
Tried
from Cask
at
Bird in Hand (Black Country Inns)
on 14 Mar 2025
at 21:34